Jay stood in the living room, heart hammering so loudly she thought Keifer might hear it even if he didn't see her.
The child had run off to play, leaving Jay and Keifer's wife alone. Jay's hands trembled, but she forced herself to speak.
"I… I need to talk to you," she said, her voice shaking, barely above a whisper.
The woman looked at her carefully, calm but guarded, her eyes sharp. "About what?"
Jay swallowed hard. "About Keifer… about us… about what happened. He was my husband. I… I still love him. I can't—"
The woman's gaze didn't waver. Her tone was soft, but firm, like a wall of steel.
"I understand your feelings," she said slowly, "but he is my husband now. He has built a life with me and our daughter. You cannot take that from us."
Jay's chest tightened. "But… he remembers me. The only thing he remembers is my name. Don't you understand? I am… I am his wife!"
The woman shook her head gently. "You were. And you loved him. But he's not the man he was when you had him. He is my husband now, and I will not let go of him. Not for anyone."
Jay felt her knees weaken. The words slammed into her like stones, each one heavier than the last.
"But… I loved him more than anything," she whispered, tears streaming freely. "I made mistakes… I fought with him for no reason… I—"
"I know," the woman interrupted, softer this time. "I know what you feel. But love is not enough to undo the life that has moved forward. He is here now, with us. You cannot force him back."
Jay pressed her hands to her face, shaking, sobbing silently. She had searched for him for years, followed every thread of hope, only to find that he had lived, laughed, loved… without her.
Her heart felt hollow, shattered in a way that no letter, no memory, no tear could ever repair.
"I… I understand," she whispered brokenly. "I… I can't… take him away from you."
The woman's eyes softened just a little, but her resolve did not falter.
Jay turned slowly and left the room, every step heavy, her soul trembling.
Outside, the laughter of the child echoed through the house, a cruel reminder that Keifer had moved on, and she… she had nothing left but memories, regret, and the unending ache of a love she could never reclaim.